Malfunction lighting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10613558-B2
Application number	US-201715703701-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2017
Priority date	Sep 13, 2017
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

An apparatus includes a high side heat exchanger, a first load, a second load, a first plurality of lights, a second plurality of lights, a third plurality of lights, and a controller. The high side heat exchanger removes heat from a refrigerant. The first load uses the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the first load. The second load uses the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the second load. The first plurality of lights is coupled to the high side heat exchanger. The second plurality of lights is coupled to the first load. The third plurality of lights is coupled to the second load. The controller receives an indication of a detected malfunction in at least one of the high side heat exchanger, the first load, the second load, and in response to the indication, activates the first, second, and third plurality of lights.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a high-pressure side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
a first cooling component configured to use the refrigerant to cool a first space;
a second cooling component configured to use the refrigerant to cool a second space;
a first plurality of lights coupled directly to the high-pressure side heat exchanger;
a second plurality of lights coupled directly to the first cooling component;
a third plurality of lights coupled directly to the second cooling component; and
a controller configured to:
receive an indication that one of the high-pressure side heat exchanger, the first cooling component, and the second cooling component has malfunctioned; and
in response to the indication, activate the first, second, and third plurality of lights.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
flash the first plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the high-pressure side heat exchanger has malfunctioned;
flash the second plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the first cooling component has malfunctioned; and
flash the third plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the second cooling component has malfunctioned.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a severity; and
determine a color based on the determined severity, wherein activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights comprises activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights to produce the determined color.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive an instruction to identify the first cooling component; and
in response to the instruction, activate the second plurality of lights.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to:
receive an instruction to perform a configuration check;
in response to the instruction:
determine that the first cooling component is configured to be started; and
activate the second plurality of lights in response to the determination that the first cooling component is configured to be started.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a speaker, wherein the controller is further configured to produce an audible signal over the speaker in response to the indication.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first sensor coupled to the high-pressure side heat exchanger, the first sensor configured to detect that the high-pressure side heat exchanger has malfunctioned;
a second sensor coupled to the first cooling component, the second sensor configured to detect that the first cooling component has malfunctioned; and
a third sensor coupled to the second cooling component, the third sensor configured to detect that the second cooling component has malfunctioned.

8. A method comprising:
removing heat from a refrigerant using a high-pressure side heat exchanger, a first plurality of lights is coupled directly to the high-pressure side heat exchanger;
cooling a space proximate a first cooling component using the refrigerant, a second plurality of lights is coupled directly to the first cooling component;
cooling a space proximate a second cooling component using the refrigerant, a third plurality of lights is coupled directly to the second component;
receiving an indication that one of the high-pressure side heat exchanger, the first cooling component, and the second component has malfunctioned; and
in response to the indication, activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
flashing the first plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the high-pressure side heat exchanger has malfunctioned;
flashing the second plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the first cooling component has malfunctioned; and
flashing the third plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the second cooling component has malfunctioned.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a severity; and
determining a color based on the determined severity, wherein activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights comprises activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights to produce the determined color.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction to identify the first cooling component; and
in response to the instruction, activating the second plurality of lights.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving an instruction to perform a configuration check;
in response to the instruction:
determining that the first cooling component is configured to be started; and
activating the second plurality of lights in response to the determination that the first cooling component is configured to be started.

13. The method of claim 8 , producing an audible signal over a speaker in response to the indication.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting that the high-pressure side heat exchanger has malfunctioned using a first sensor coupled to the high-pressure side heat exchanger;
detecting that the first cooling component has malfunctioned using a second sensor coupled to the first cooling component; and
detecting that the second cooling component has malfunctioned using a third sensor coupled to the second cooling component.

15. A system comprising:
a high-pressure side heat exchanger configured to remove heat from a refrigerant;
a first cooling component configured to use the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the first cooling component;
a second cooling component configured to use the refrigerant to cool a space proximate the second cooling component;
a compressor configured to compress the refrigerant and to direct the compressed refrigerant to the high-pressure side heat exchanger;
a first plurality of lights coupled directly to the high-pressure side heat exchanger;
a second plurality of lights coupled directly to the first cooling component;
a third plurality of lights coupled directly to the second cooling component; and
a controller configured to:
receive an indication that one of the high-pressure side heat exchanger, the first cooling component, and the second cooling component has malfunctioned; and
in response to the indication, activate the first, second, and third plurality of lights.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
flash the first plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the high-pressure side heat exchanger has malfunctioned;
flash the second plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the first cooling component has malfunctioned; and
flash the third plurality of lights if the received indication indicates that the second cooling component has malfunctioned.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine a severity; and
determine a color based on the determined severity, wherein activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights comprises activating the first, second, and third plurality of lights to produce the determined color.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive an instruction to identify the first cooling component; and
in response to the instruction, activate the second plurality of lights.

Assignees

• Heatcraft Refrigeration Products Llc

Inventors

• Nath Shashwat
• Tracy Chris

Classifications

• G05B23/0235

  based on a comparison with predetermined threshold or range, e.g. "classical methods", carried out during normal operation; threshold adaptation or choice; when or how to compare with the threshold · CPC title

• F21V33/0092

  with heating or cooling devices · CPC title

• G05B23/0264

  Control of logging system, e.g. decision on which data to store; time-stamping measurements · CPC title

• F24F11/52

  Indication arrangements, e.g. displays · CPC title

• F24F11/30

  for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring · CPC title